Olestra, The First Zero-calorie Artificial Fat, Approved By Fda

January 24, 1996

The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved the nation's first zero-calorie artificial fat. Procter & Gamble's olestra can be used to replace the fat in potato chips and other snack foods -- provided the snacks carry a warning on the label that olestra might cause some unexpected side effects. Critics had asked the FDA to keep olestra off the market because it can have unpleasant gastrointestinal effects, including diarrhea, and can deplete the body of certain vitamins and nutrients. But the FDA Wednesday decided olestra was safe enough for consumers to decide for themselves whether to eat it. "Potato chips, crackers, tortilla chips or other snacks made with olestra will be lower in fat and calories than snacks made with traditional fats," the FDA said in a statement. Olestra is a synthetic chemical made of sugar and vegetable oil. It looks like regular fat, but its molecules are too large and tightly packed to digest, so it passes through the body without stopping to clog arteries or fatten hips.